Fire extinguisher



DeC. 25, 1951 w, 5 4 2,579,513

FIRE EXTINGUIS'HER File Aug. 30, 1949 '3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- Dec. 25, 1951 G. w. PFLEGHAR 2,579,513

FIRE EXTINGUISHER I Filed Aug. 50, 1949 i s SheefS-Sheet 2 Dec. 25, 1951 w, PFLEGHAR 2,579,513

' FIRE EXTINGUI SHER Filed Aug. 30, 1949 I 3 Sheeis-Sheet 3 INVEN TOR.

firne Patented Dec. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers, and particularly, to that type of fire extinguisher which is useful in dwellings or the like and which comprises a glass vessel containing the fire extinguishing fluid and a support for said vessel having a. fusible part so that, upon the fusion of said part, the vessel drops, breaks on the floor, and releases the fluid.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide afire extinguisher comprising an elongated tube of' readily breakable glass and a mounting therefor comprising a spring-tensioned fusible member supporting one end of the tube 50 that the tube is in a horizontal position and adapted, upon fusion, to release said tube so that it falls, smashes, and frees its fluid.

Other objects of this invention are to provide a fire extinguisher which can be'easily and readily manufactured of a minimum number of very simple parts; which is inconspicuous and even decorative in its appearance; and which is quick and sure in its operation.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as this description proceeds.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalitie's of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the drawings, in which like reference characters refer throughout to like parts:

Figure 1 represents a view in perspective showing the invention in use.

Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the tube-support with the tube shown in dot-anddash lines.

Figure 3 represents a view, on line 3-3 of Figure 6, of a rear elevation of a portion of the tube-support.

Figure 4 represents a view in longitudinal horizontal cross section on line 4-4 of Figure 2 with .the tube-support parted in the middle.

Figure 5 represents a perspective view of one end of the tube containing the fire-extinguishing fluid.

Figure 6 represents a perspective view of a portion of the top of one end of the tube-support cut away on line 6--6 of Figure 2; 7

Figure 7 represents a view in perspective of a modification of this device showing the tube in the act of falling after breaking of the fusible supporting link.

one end of a spring 29.

Figure 8 represents a perspective view of one end of the tube-support with the fusible member in position to receive an end of the tube thereon.

Figure 9 represents a top or plan view of this modified form.

That embodiment of this invention, which has been selected from among other for illustration in Figures 1 through f the drawings, will be seen to comprise a tube-support, generally indicated at it, and which may conveniently be formed by die casting a suitable metal or by moulding an appropriate plastic or other modes of manufacture as, for example, by being made of wood. The tube-support ID has a flat rear or face if suitable for engagement with a wall or like supporting surface. The rear I I has recesses i2 therein to lighten the tube-support Ill. The rear H also has a groove I 3 connecting the recesses i2. Through the tube-support [0 from back to front are perforations [4 having countersunk heads i5 for receiving screws, or like means, v

for fastening the tube-support in position on a wall or other convenient location. The tube-support iii has two forwardly projecting arms I6 and H. Arm i8 has a notch or slot [8 therein, on its inner vertical surface. Slot I8 is open at the top but is closed at the bottom by a wall l9. Arm li likewise has a notch or slot 20 therein which may, if desired, be closed at the top by a wall 2!. Adjacent arm I1, the tube-support ID has an opening 22 therethrough from front to back and communicating at one end with groove [3. On arm H is provided a support for one end of the tube. This support consists of a pair of sheets 25' and 25 which have overlapping faces connected by an intervening layer 26 of metallic material which has a low melting point or which, in other words, is relatively fusible. Sheet 24 has a hole 21 therethrough through which ex ten-cls an end of a hook 23 mounted at the outer end of arm I! opposite opening 22. Sheet 25 has a hole 28 therethrough through which extends spring 29 passes through hole 22 in a tube-support It and is held therein by means of a pin or bar 3! which fits into groove l3. The normal length of spring 29 is such that, when the sheets 24 and 25 are connected by fusible metallic material or alloy 26 and attached at one end to hook 23 and at the opposite end to the end 28 of spring 29, spring 29 is extended and exerts its tension tending to shear the fusible metal alloy layer 26 and aiding in the release operation of the support.

As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the tube 32 is provided with ends 33 of reduced cross sectional di- The other end 30 of ameter. These ends 33 provide means for sealing the tube 32 after the fire extinguishing fluid has been placed in it. The tube 32 is conveniently made of a readily breakable or frangible material, such as glass, and contains the fire-extinguishing fluid, such as carbon tetrachloride.

The mode of operation of this modification of this invention is as follows. The tube-support I is mounted on a wall or the like-by passing screws or other fasteners through the holes 14. Sheets 24 and 25 are fastened together by the fusible layer 26 and are then placed in position adjacent the opening 29 by latching the opening 21 in sheet 24 over the hook 23, the end'3ll' of spring 29 having been passed through the opening 22 and the pin 31 having been passed through the end 30 of the spring. The elongated tube 32 can then readily be placed in position upon the tube-support ID by placing one end of the tube in the slot 29 and supported by the upper edges of sheets 24 and 25. The opposite end 33 of the tube 32 then rests in the slot 18 upon the wall I9. Upon the occurence of a fire, the rise in temperature melts the fusible metallic material 26 and the weight of the tube 32, together with the tension exertedby the spring 29, causes a shearing or parting action of the sheets 24 and 25 which, in turn, causes tube 32 to drop. In most cases the tube 32 falls with one of its ends 33 foremost, but in any event tube 32 falls, one end turning about wall I9 as a pivot. Support I0 is mounted'a sufficient distance above the floor or like hard surface so that tube 32 gains enough momentum to insure that the tube strikes on the floor or like surface and breaks. This spreads the fire-extinguishing fluid and results in the rapid extinguishing of the fire.

Figures '1, 8' and 9 disclose a modified form of this invention. In this modification, the tubesupport has, as a base, a flat piece of wood 35 which may be secured to a wall or the like by nails or wood screws. On base 35 are secured projecting brackets 36 and 31 by means of wood screws 38 or the like. Bracket 36 has an upwardly' opening notch 39 therein while bracket 31"has a downwardly opening notch 40 therein. At its forward or projecting end, bracket 31 has a tang 4 I struck up therefrom and, at its rear or inner end, bracket 31 has a hole 42 therethrough. A support for one end 33 of the tube 32 is provided" by sheets 24 and which have, respectively, openings 21 and 28 therein. The overlapping faces of sheets 24 and 25 have a fusible or. low-melting-point metal alloy'layer 26 there between. One end of the linkage or chain, formed by'spring 29 and sheets 24 and 25, and layer 26', is supported by means of hole 21 on tang 4| and the other end of this linkage or chain is supported by the end of spring 29 in the hole 42'.v The length of spring 29 is such that, whenthe device is located with its ends supported the hole 42 and the tang 4|, tension is applied to the fusible metal layer 26.

The operation of this modification is the same as that of the modification already described. The base is secured to a wall or like. convenient locationby. means of nails or wood screws. The tube 32 is placed in the slot 39 in the bracket 36 and in the notch in the bracket 31. One tip or reduced portion 33 of tube 32 rests on the upper edge of the sheets 24 and 25. The occurrence of. a fire in the neighborhood of the fusiblemetallic material 26 raises the temperature thereof. The melting of the fusible metallic material 26, aided by the weight of thetube32, to-

gether with the stress of the spring 29 thereon, causes the sheets 24 and 25 to part, allowing the end 34 of tube 32 to drop. The entire tube 32 thus falls to the ground and smashes, releasing the carbon-tetrachloride or other fire-extinguishing fluid in it. The spread of this fiuid in its liquid and gaseous condition quickly extingushes the fire.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing. from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letter Patent is:

1. A fire extinguisher adapted to be mounted upon a wall or the like, at a suitable distance above a floor or other hard surface, including, an elongated frangible sealed glass tube filled with a fire-extinguishing fluid, and a pair of horizontally aligned tube-supporting arms sup porting said tube near its ends with the tube in generally horizontal position, at least one of said. tube-supporting arms having a heat-severable link constructed and arranged to release an end of the tube for gravity-induced descent so that the tube-falls, shatters, and releases the fluidherein. 1

2. A fire extinguisher adapted to be mounted upon a wall or the like, at a suitable distanceabove a fioor or. other hard surf-ace, including, a tube-support for securement to the wall or the like, an elongated frangible sealed g-lasstube filled with fire-extinguisher fluid, said tube being releasably held generallyhorizontally with one of its ends mounted in said tube-support, said tube-support having a vertical groove therein into which the end of the tube fits loosely, said tube-support having a heat-severable link mounted at the lower end of the groove in underlying relation to the end of the tube, said link being adapted to release the end of the tubewhen heat-severed so as topermit the: gravity-- induced descent ofthe tube, so that the tube falls, shatters, and'releases the fluid therein.

3. A fire extinguisher adapter to be mountedupon a wall or the like, at a suitable distance. above a fioor or other hard surface, comprising,

an elongated horizontally extending frangiblesealed glass tube filled with a fire-extinguishing fluid and having reduced ends, a pair of horizon-- tally aligned tube-supporting arms supporting said tube at its ends, and a heat-severable link mounted on at least one of said arms in underlying relationship to thetube end, said link being constructed and arranged to release the end of.

the tube for gravity-induced descent so that the tube falls, shatters, and releases th-e'fiuid'therein.

4. A fire extinguisher and a mounting therefor, including; horizontally disposed elongated glass tubing with-sealed ends of reduced cross section and containing carbon-tetrachloride, a tube support having slots having. oppositely disposed open ends: therein for receiving the ends of said tube and having a base for engagement with a. wall or the like, and'a member having a fusible portion and. supporting one end of said tubing and pivotally secured to said tube-support so that, upon fusion of said fusible portion, said tubing drops: and shatters and releasesthe. carbon tetrachloride.

5. A fire extinguisher and a mounting-therefor,

including elongated glass tubing with sealed ends of reduced cross section and containing carbontetrachloride, a tube support having slots having oppositely disposed open ends therein for receiving the ends of said tube and having a base for engagement with a wall or the like, and a member having a fusible portion and supporting one end of said tubing and pivotally secured to said tube-support so that, upon fusion of said fusible portion, said tubing drops and shatters and releases the carbon tetrachloride.

6. A fire extinguisher and a mounting therefor. including a tube-support comprising a base having a flat face adapted for engagement with a wall or the like and comprising a pair of tubesupporting members projecting from said base and each having a slot therein affording an open end disposed in the opposite direction to the open end of the other slot, a linkage comprising a pair of sheets having overlying faces joined together by means of a layer of fusible material between them and a spring connected to one of said sheets, said linkage being mounted at its ends on said tube-support adjacent the open end of one of said slots and an elongated cylindrical tube of readily breakable material containing a. fire-extinguishing fluid and having projecting sealed ends of reduced diameter each mounted in one of said slots, one of said ends being supported in one of said slots by engagement with the edges of said sheet adjacent said layer of fusible material, so that, when said fusible layer melts or softens, said spring aids the weight of said-tube in causing said sheets to part, whereby said tube falls, smashes, and releases the fireextinguishing fluid therein.

'7. A construction according to claim 3 wherein the link; comprises a pair of partly-overlapping metal members connected together by a. heatfusible cementing material and wherein a spring is attached to one of said metal members and is constructed and arranged to pull it away from the other metal member when the cementing material is fused.

GEORGE W. PFLEGHAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,804,477 Old May 12, 1931 1,817,231 Bronander Aug. 4, 1931 1,894,917 Bronander Jan. 17, 1933 

